Disappearing-door construction for cases.



F. E. MEINEL.

DISAPPEARING DOOR CONSTRUCTION FOR GASES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 24, 1911.

Patented Nov. 18, 1913.

era res FREDERICK MncmnL, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T ILLINoIs'sHowCASE WORKS, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION or ILLINOIS.

DISAPPEARING-DOOR CONSTRUCTION FOR- CASES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. is, 1913.

I Application filed J u1y24, 1911. Serial N 0. 640,096.

To all whom it may concern:

. Construction for Cases, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to show casesor other cases of like character.

It relates more particularly to the doors thereof. These have been madein various ways jbu't they have not been altogether sat sfactory,particularly those of show cases. "Ordinarily, the objection to the showcases that have been in use was the impossibility of having the entirecase "open at one and the same time. Sliding doors were usuallyemployed, and the arrangement was such that all of the doors of the casecould not be opened at the same time. Swinging doors are notsatisfactory for show cases, especially the large floor cases.

Generally stated, therefore, the object of .my invention is to providean improved and highly satisfactory sliding door construction forshowcases and other cases of similar character.

Special objects are to provide an improved construction of disappearingdoor for show cases and other cases of like character; to provide animproved construction and arrangement whereby disappearing doors of th1scharacter may be operated with less danger of breaking or getting out oforder than heretofore; to provide an improved construction andarrangement whereby the doors will work easily and smoothly and withlittle effort; to provide a construc-' tion whereby the doors arecomposed of upper and lower sections, the upper section being arrangedto disappear at the top of the case, and the lower section being adaptedto disappear at the bottom of the case; to provide a constructionwhereby the upper door section holds the lower section in closedposition; to provide a construction whereby the lower door sectioncannot be opened until after the upper section is partially opened; andto provide certain details and features of improvement tending toincrease the general elliciency of a disappearing door construction ofthis particular character.

To these and other useful ends my invention consists in mattershereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawin'gsFigure l is a vertical transverse sectionof a showcase embodying the principles of my invention. Fig. 2 is asection on line 22 in Fig. 1. Fig. '3 is the same as Fig. 1,'eXcept thatthe rear portion or back is "shown broken away, and the doors areomitted to show the grooves in which the rolls travel. Fig. 4 isanenlarged detail sectional view showing the formation of a portion ofthe groove in which the rolls of the upper section of the door travel,and illustrating the spring that yielding'ly holds the upper section inclosed posit'io As thus illustrated, my invention comprises a show casehaving a base A adapted to standv and 'a top C. The endwalls D are ofglass and have frames d of wood or metal or other suitable material.These end frames are each provided with an upper groove d and a lowergroove 0Z said grooves being located on the inner sides of said frames,whereby the grooves of one frame face the grooves of the other frame.The groove d is formed with a slight bevel or incline'at (Z and has thecorners thereof rounded at 03*,

whereby the groove is wider where the two right angle portions thereofcome together. The groove (Z has its inner corner cut oil or rounded atd", and is formed with a seat or depression 03 at its outer cornerthatIs to say, at the point where "the two right angle portions of thegroove join or come together. Both grooves extend rearward to the back Bof the'case. l

The upper door section 'E'is' of glass and hash rectangular frame '6that fits the upper portion of the space between the two ends of the*case "and "below the top wall thereof. The door section'E has each endprovided with a pair of rolls 6 and e which engage he groove d; The roll"e 'is near the upper edge of said door section, and when the latter isclosed the roll 6 rests in the lower end of said groove.

A roll 6 on the frame 61 engages the inner side of the frame 6, when thedoor section E is opened and in a horizontal position, whereby the saiddoor section is supported againststraining of the parts thereof. A

. end of the door section F is provided with root the movement of thedoors.

a pair of rolls f and f that engage the groove d in the end wall frame.These rolls f and f are such a distance apart that when the door isclosed the upper rolls f are at the upper ends of the grooves (Z and thelower rolls f are resting in the seats or depressions d at the bottom.

The two door sections are opened in the manner shown in dotted lines inFig. 1. When fully opened the upper section is practically concealedbelow the top C of the case, and the lower section is entirely withinthe case at the bottom thereof. The two door sections open by movingaway from each other, and by then assuming horizontal positions inhorizontal planes at the top and bottom of the case. During such slidingmotion of the door sections the rolls thereof slide or travel along thegrooves d and 03 to di- To open the door it is only necessary to pressinward on the upper portion of the upper door section and to liftslightly on the lower section and press inward on the lower end thereof.This brings both sections into the positions shown in dotted lines inFig. 1, and further movement then causes the two sections to fullydisappear, or practically so, at the top and bottom of the case. Byreason of the depressions d, it is obvious that the lower door cannot beopened until after the upper door has been opened, or partially opened,to permit the lower door to move slightly upward in starting. For thispurpose, the

lower edge e of the upper door section E isbeveled inwardly and theupper edge f of the lower section F is beveled outwardly, sot-hatalthough the two edges come tight together, still the upper section canopen while the lower section is closed. An outer handle e i provided atthe lower edge of the upper door section E, and an inner handle f isprovided at the. upper edgeof the lower section 'F. Thus, as stated, the

- upper section must be opened first, and then the handle f can begrasped to lower the section F to a horizontal position.

Preferably, the upper edge e of the section E is beveled or roundedoutwardly, to permit the said edge to swing inwardly when the section isclosed, the rolls 6 being disposed a distance back from the front topermit the initial inward swing of the upper edge of the upper doorsection. The upper edge of the lower section has a portion f that actsas a stop for the lower edge of the upper section in closing. The frames03 are also preferablyprovided with parts d that engage the section Fand thereby serve as stops to prevent inward movement of the doorsections when fully closed.

The frame of each door section is provided at its vertical end edgeswith strips G of felt or other soft material that bear against the flatinner surfaces 618 of the frames to prevent dust from entering the showcase.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a disappearing door construction for show cases, a door composedof upper and lower sections, the lower edge of the upper section adaptedto engage the upper edge of the lower section, means for mounting theupper section to swing and slide upward and assume a horizontal positionbelow the top of the case, means for mounting the lower section to swingand slide downward and assume a horizontal position above the bottom ofthe case, and means requiring a slight upward movement of the lowersection for the initial opening thereof whereby the lower door sectioncannot be opened until after the upper door section is partially opened.

2. In a disappearing door construction for show cases, a door composedof upper and lower sections, the lower edge of the upper section adaptedto engage the upper edge of the lower section, means for mounting theupper section to swing and slide upward and assume a horizontal positionbelow the top of the case, and means for mounting the lower section toswing and slide downward and assume a horizontal position above thebottom of the case, the said meanscomprising rolls on the ends of thesections, and upper and lower L-shaped grooves on the case, said groovesserving as ways in which said rolls travel when the door is opened andbeing so formed that the lower door 3. In a disappearing doorconstruction for show cases, a movable door for the front of the case, apair of separated projections for each end of said doors, an L-shapedgroove in the case for each pair of projections, one projection of eachpair movable in one direction in one part of the said groove while theother projection of the same pair is mov ing in a direction at rightangles thereto in the other part of the same groove, and one of saidprojections of each pair being adapted to rest in the elbow portions ofsaid grooves to keep the door in closed position, each said elbowportion being formed with a seat in which the projection rests for thispurpose, whereby the door must be raised slightly, in the plane thereof,before moving inward at its lower edge.

4. In a disappearing door construction for show cases, a door for thefront of the case, a pair of separated projections for each end of saiddoor, a groove or way on the case for each pair of projections, and aspring secured in the groove for engaging one of said projections whenthe door is closed, whereby the door is yieldingly held in closedposition.

5. In a disappearing door construction" for show cases, upper and lowerdoor sections, means whereby the two sections swing and slide in openingand closing, and a seat for the lower section, serving to hold the lowersection against swinging motion, the upper section engaging the lowersection to hold the latter in said seat, the said seat preventing thelower section from moving inward at its lower edge until after the uppersection is partially opened.

6. In a disappearing door construction for show cases, upper and lowerdoor sections beveled at their meeting edges, aseat for the lowerportion of the lower section, to hold the latter upright, a spring foryieldingly holding the upper sectionclosed, a stop for the lowersection, and means for mounting the said door sections for sliding andswinging movement. V

7. A disappearing doorconstruction for show cases, comprising a frontdoor, walls provided with horizontally disposed grooves, each groovehaving a depression at the front end thereof, devices for engaging saidgrooves and depressions, secured to the ends of said' door, and meansfor engaging the upper edge of said door, adapted to be disengagedtherefrom to permit raising of said door and devices out of saiddepressions, said walls having upright grooves, and the door beingprovided with devices for engaging said upright grooves, whereby saiddoor cannot be opened until after disengagement of the said means.

8. A disappearing door construction for show cases, comprising a frontdoor, walls provided with horizontally disposed grooves, each groovehaving a depression at the front end thereof, devices for engaging saidgrooves and depressions, secured to the ends of said door, and means forengaging the upper edge of said door, adapted to be disengaged therefromto permit raising of said door and devices out of said depressions, saidwalls having upright grooves, and the door being provided with devicesfor engaging said upright grooves, whereby said door cannot be openeduntil after disengagement of-the said means, said means comprising anupper door, and said walls being grooved for said upper door, permittingoutward swing of the lower edge thereof. I

9. A disappearing door construction for show cases, comprising a frontdoor, walls provided with horizontally disposed grooves, each groovehaving a depression at the front, end thereof, devices for engaging saidgrooves and depressions, secured to the ends of said door,and means forengaglng the upper edge of said door, adapted to be disengaged therefromto permit raising of said door and devices out of said depressions, saidwalls having upright grooves, and the door being provided with devicesfor engaging said upright grooves, whereby said door cannot be openeduntil after disengagement of the said means, said means comprising anupper door, and a spring yieldingly holding said upper door in closedposition, whereby said spring serves also to hold said front doorclosed.

10. A disappearing door construction for show cases, comprising a frontdoor, walls provided with horizontally disposed grooves, each groovehaving a depression at the front end thereof, devices for engaging saidgrooves and depressions, secured to the ends of said door, and means forengaging the upper edge of said door, adapted to be'dis engagedtherefrom to permit raising of said door and devices out of saiddepressions, said walls having upright grooves, and the door beingprovided with devices for engaging said upright grooves, whereby saiddoor cannot be opened until after disengagement of the said means.v thesaid door being mounted to rotate about a horizontal axis while saiddevices are moving along said grooves.

11. A disappearing door construction for show cases, comprising a frontdoor, walls provided with horizontally disposed grooves,

each groove having a depression at the front end thereof, devices forengaging said grooves and depressions, secured to the ends of said door,and means for engaging the,

upper edge of said door, adapted-to be'disengaged therefrom to permitraising of said door and devices out of said depressions, said Wallshaving upright grooves, and the door being provided With devices forengaging said upright grooves, whereby said door cannot-be opened untilafter disengagement of the said means, the said door having a handle onits inner surface near the upper edge thereof, to facilitate closing ofthe door and prevent attempted opening of the same While held in placeby said means.

Signed by me at Chicago, Illinois, this 20th day of July, 1911.

FREDERICK E. MEINEL. Witnesses:

S. LEWIS, J. Norman

